


Souls at Sunset

by novocaine_sea



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Demons, M/M, Sickness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-10 22:38:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15301569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/novocaine_sea/pseuds/novocaine_sea
Summary: Ushijima is dying. Rapidly. It’s as simple as that.And when he hears splashing in the pond out back, Ushijima knows his time has come.





	Souls at Sunset

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tono](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tono/gifts).



> For the lovely Tono!!! It's based on the art they did for the Haikyuu Rarepair Zine! You can find the piece [here](https://twitter.com/tvpunkz/status/1016337253000507393)

Ushijima Wakatoshi’s chest heaves as he coughs, breath sputtering as he sits up on his elbows. The coughs don’t stop and he presses a hand to his chest, heart racing under his sweaty palm. The other hand comes up to cover dry, cracked lips, wet with saliva and blood. Ushijima will not miss coughing up blood. And he will not miss being sick once he finally passes. The doctors had given him a few more months to live, but he couldn’t see himself living past another week. 

He’s dying. Rapidly. It’s as simple as that. 

His coughing fit subsides and Ushijima sighs, slowly laying back against the blankets. His whole body aches and he longs to move from the futon to get up and walk around but he can’t. So he lays there and stares at the ceiling or out into the back of his house. He has a small pond there filled with koi fish and surrounded by beautiful flowers in a variety of colors. It’s one of his favorite spots and maybe before he passes he’ll find the strength to sit on the veranda one more time so he can hear the running water of the pond.

Ushijima can only hear it sometimes from where he lays on the tatami mats on top of his futon. It’s too hot to get inside despite also shivering from the cold. He hates this feeling. He hates being  _ weak _ . He misses the feel of a sword in his hand and the sound it makes as it slashed through the air to cut through his opponents. His retirement had been voluntary; as soon as he felt himself becoming decrepit he had retired. Then Ushijima found out just how sick he was.

His blade still sits mounted on the wall across from him, a bitter reminder of the past. Ushijima isn’t sure if he would go back given the opportunity, but the thought has crossed his mind. He thinks he would go back to a lot of things if he had the chance. But lately he hasn’t been able to get off the futon. 

Ushijima’s olive green eyes slip closed as he tries to relax. He’s in constant pain but he pushes it aside for now. He’s been bloodied and bruised numerous times before, this sickness should be nothing, but it takes everything out of him. Ushijima yearns to live in peace again, no sickness and no youkai floating aimlessly around. For the most part Ushijima is able to ignore their presence and if he doesn’t bother them, they don’t bother him. It’s a nice coexistence. 

Half asleep, Ushijima is startled by a splashing in the pond outside. He feels the breeze as the day shifts into night, temperatures dropping, and it cools the sweat on his brow. Ushijima thinks that a koi is just flopping around, but when he hears it again, he props himself up as best he can. Did somebody sneak into his garden? It’s untended to these days and there’s not much to steal from his home. Anybody would be stupid to try and break into the home of Ushijima Wakatoshi, renowned samurai. 

Ushijima sits up with a low, rumbling groan. He uses the last ounces of strength to lift himself from the futon entirely, standing to make his way to the veranda outside. He can already feel the sweat on his brow slipping down his temple and to his chin. Pushing back the pain, he grips onto the railing of the veranda, squinting at his pond. There’s a shadow looming there, not entirely human but also not entirely alien to him. 

The creature is on the other side of the pond, crouched down so its face is hidden. Its head is near the water and is clearly trying to catch one of the fish in the pond. Ushijima observes quietly and curiously, wondering how this creature got into his backyard and what it’s doing here. It has silky black hairs popping out from its skull and behind it, a tail swishes tantalizingly. It’s focused on whatever it’s looking for in the water and Ushijima leans to look closer. 

There is a creaking noise as Ushijima leans forward and he freezes, letting out a deep breath. There is pain but there is also fear as the creature pauses, slowly lifting its head. A koi fish iss logged in its mouth, flopping around and trying to get back to the water, but the creatures fangs are sunk into its side. The creature maintains eye contact with Ushijima as it stands tall and proud.

Understanding floods through Ushijima. This is a demon cat, and not just any kind.

This demon’s purpose is to take lives. The demon has come to end Ushijima’s life once and for all.

But Ushijima is mesmerized by its beauty. The demon cat is clad in a maroon kimono, with the body of a man. The demon cat, Ushijima can see now, has three tails instead of one and Ushijima finds it incredible interesting. He wants to take a closer look but he’s not ready for his life to end. Though he had wished for it early, now he is deciding against it. He wants to live a little longer. He’s simply not ready. There is more he wants to do.

The demon cat’s golden eyes flash and the koi fish falls from his mouth, lips curling into a malicious smirk. Clearly his intent is to ravish Ushijima’s soul and take his life away. There is no convincing to be done. He makes no moves, only stands there with piercing eyes on the former samurai, Ushijima not being able to keep his gaze off the demon. He’s unsure if he should say anything or protest, but it must be unwise.

Finally, the demon cat steps forward. He steps onto the pond but does not fall through into the water; he is standing on top of it. Ushijima watches in awe as the demon walks across the pond delicately, slowly getting closer to him. It’s as if roots have sprung through the veranda and have tied Ushijima to the spot; he is completely immobile. Olive green eyes lock on glowing golden irises and before he knows it, the demon cat springs towards him, knocking him onto his back. Ushijima doesn’t fight it because he can’t. There is nothing he can do.

Ushijima can see the three tails swishing enticingly behind the demon cat’s back, his eyes flashing hungrily as they stare through Ushijima’s eyes to his soul. He wonders if this is going to be painful. He isn’t ready. 

“Are you afraid, Samurai-san?” The demon cat tilts his head to the side, grin feral. His words come out almost in a purr and it makes Ushijima shiver. It’s a strange tone and an even stranger sound. Ushijima swallows but does not say anything, he can’t. He feels as if he’s under a spell from staring at the demon cat.

The demon cat is beautiful, to say the very least. His ears look even silkier up close and Ushijima’s fingers twitch with the desire to touch them. The demon’s hair is unkempt and messy around the ears, in need of a good brushing and Ushijima would love to run his fingers or a brush through it. With a strong jawline that he could cut glass with, the demon cat is extremely attractive. His fangs are sharp enough to rip through Ushijima’s neck is he so pleases and Ushijima hopes that isn’t the case.

“What? Cat got your tongue?” The cat asks, running his fingers through Ushijima’s sweat-damp hair. “You’re sweating. You’re nervous, aren’t you? Do you know what I am?”

Ushijima only nods.

A deep, husky laugh rips through the demon and he sits up on Ushijima’s thighs, dragging clawed fingers down Ushijima’s bare chest. Ushijima had only been wearing an open kimono and a pair of loose, linen pants. It is too hot for anything else. “Excellent, then we’ll save the introduction.” The demon pauses and brings his claws to his chin, tapping gently. “Though, if you’d like, you can call me Kuroo. I usually don’t give my name out, but you won’t be needing it for long, Samurai-san.”

The demon cat - Kuroo - crouches over Ushijima, staring into his eyes once more. “Any last words?” A delicate pink tongue comes out to lick over his bottom lip and Ushijima watches it.

“You are beautiful.” Ushijima breathes softly before he can take back the words. He freezes and thinks that this is enough for Kuroo to just rip out his soul entirely and call it a day. Why was he going to deal with a sick human who couldn’t keep his mouth shut for any longer.

Surprisingly, Kuroo snaps up so he’s sitting upright again, eyes curious. They’re cat as, true to his state, and it makes Kuroo look even more inquisitive. Ushijima holds his breath, waiting for Kuroo to strike him. Where does the soul lie? Is his heart going to be ripped out? Ushijima does not know how this works. He doesn’t want to go but wants this to be over with.

Then, the sound of wind chimes breaks the silence. Ushijima’s eyebrows furrow as Kuroo laughs, but it’s not hearty. It’s mellifluous, the complete opposite of what Ushijima thinks it would be. His breathing is starting to get labored as he goes through emotional turmoil. He is mostly confused, stressed, and nervous. He could have a heart attack right now in his state. 

“You’re so strange, Samurai-san.” Kuroo gets off of Ushijima and walks over to the pond once more. He’s still chuckling to himself, thinking about how amusing Ushijima is. The man doesn’t say a word until Kuroo is about to kill him and then calls him beautiful. This is a first for Kuroo.

The demon cat decides he likes this human.

“Excuse me?” Ushijima asks, panting.

Kuroo swipes at the pond, picking up the koi he had attacked earlier. He brings it to his mouth and makes eye contact with Ushijima, swallow it whole, bones and all. Ushijima winces; losing one of his beloved koi is difficult but Ushijima is already too enamored with the demon cat to care.

Kuroo lickes his lips, “Delicious. You take good care of your koi, Samurai-san, but not yourself. What a shame.” He skips around the pond and into the house, past Ushijima who is still sitting on the veranda. Ushijima turns with a groan as he watches Kuroo walk through his house with light steps, one fitting of a demon. Ushijima sees the three tails appear through the kimono and wonders how, but then realizes that Kuroo is a creature not of this world and anything is possible.

“I’ll be here to watch over you now.” Kuroo perches on Ushijima’s futon. By some gravitational pull, Ushijima feels himself moving towards Kuroo slowly on his hands and knees until he’s sitting before him. Kuroo reaches out and touches Ushijima’s faces, claws dancing along ragged skin. 

“I am… concerned.” Ushijima responds truthfully. Does he really want a demon cat that’s been sent to kill him in his home? He could strike at any moment.

Kuroo laughs again, light and friendly. It’s still strange to Ushijima and suppresses a shiver. “Don’t worry. I won’t kill you, yet. I like you, Samurai-san.” He leans forward, lips brushing like a feather at the corner of Ushijima’s mouth. “Ushijima-san, we are going to become very acquainted.”

Ushijima finally lets out the shudder and he wants to turn to capture Kuroo’s face, to say something more, but he can’t. Kuroo is gone, as if he was never there in the first place. In his face Ushijima finds a wooden statue of a black cat. It has an ugly smirk and the same unkempt hair that Kuroo sports. Ushijima cradles it delicately, knowing it holds the soul of Kuroo inside.

Looking out the back door again, Ushijima feels full of life. The sun is almost completely down, the sky a cool blue, with specks of lingering gold. Ushijima thinks of Kuroo and his eyes and somehow knows that despite there to take his life, Kuroo had somehow restored Ushijima’s will to live.

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](http://novocaine-sea.tumblr.com/) || [Twitter](https://twitter.com/novocaine_sea)


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